


Absolutely No Bouquets

by TheLadyMagician



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Dorian just wants something small, Established Relationship, Flower Crowns, M/M, Meddling, Rituals, Wedding Planning, Weddings, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-16 21:57:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3504185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyMagician/pseuds/TheLadyMagician
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Dorian and Cullen want is a small wedding, but Josephine, Leliana, and the Inquisitor have different plans. </p><p>Dorian's not sure why they didn't just elope when they had the chance.</p><p>**On hiatus--Potentially Permanent hiatus**</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“I thought it was going to be small,” scolded Dorian, eyeing all the people in the Commander’s tower. Their tower. It had taken Dorian far longer than he’d like to admit to refer to the tower as theirs. Three years of being together and he still hadn’t quite mastered it. 

Josephine, Leliana, Cullen, and Evelyn Trevelyan huddled around Cullen’s desk, not a piece of wood to be found as flowers were piled high atop it. Cullen shot his lover a helpless look as Josephine plucked two of the flowers from the table to assault Dorian with them. 

“What do you think, Lord Pavus? Crystal Grace with Elfroot or Embrium with Felandris for the bouquets?” 

“Bouquets?! Now there’s bouquets?!”

Josephine scoffed, clutching the Embrium and placing that hand on her hip. “Of course there’s a bouquet. The bride throws the bouquet, as is customary. Though I’m not quite sure who’s playing bride in this case, but that can be figured out.”

Dorian put his hand to his face, rubbing at his eyes as he tried to compose himself. “Josephine, my dear, the enthusiasm is appreciated, of course, but no. For Maker’s sake, the man only proposed yesterday!” 

“Yes, yes, I know. Dreadful timing, really, if we want the ceremony to be on your anniversary. Could you not have proposed months ago? Honestly, Cullen, it’s as if you like seeing me rush out invitations and catering orders.”

“Ambassador, Dorian and I have agreed to a private ceremony. Vows, a Chantry sister present, nothing more,” Cullen said, hand resting on his pommel and looking pleadingly at Evelyn as if she could somehow help with the problem. The Inquisitor, however, looked far too amused and shrugged off Cullen’s silent plea for help. 

Josephine whirled on Cullen, her eyes set ablaze as she stalked towards the Commander. “You intend to keep the wedding of two high ranking Inquisition members secret? Do you understand the insult that is to our allies? And that’s not even to mention the political ramifications of acting like the marriage of our Commander to a Tevinter Magister-” “Altus!” “-is a shameful secret! Unacceptable.”

“Josie has a point,” Leliana said, though she seemed to take as much pleasure out of Cullen and Dorian’s unease as Evelyn. “If you wed in secret, it would seem like the Inquisition is ashamed of the choices of two of its members.”

“It is our choice,” Dorian said, arms crossing as he tried to make himself appear unmovable. “I’m sure you can convince people it was done in private for entirely romantic reasons, or some other nonsense like that. Don’t you have bards for that, Spymaster?”

“I do, but considering your unwillingness to publicly show affection, Dorian, it makes it hard to spin that you were a man so overcome with emotion he stole away the Commander to elope with.”

“Then make it seem like Cullen swept me away.”

“Please,” Leliana said with a laugh. “Cullen turned as red as Embrium when I asked how he proposed. It took him two years of pining after you to even peck you on the cheek!”

Dorian looked over to Cullen who was blushing with his hand on the back of his neck, looking anywhere but Dorian’s eyes. Well. . . That was something, Dorian supposed. “Our wedding is not a political move for you to make, Lady Ambassador,” Dorian said with a thin veneer of civility. 

“Dori,” Evelyn started softly, in a tone that Dorian knew was absolute trouble. “Let us celebrate with you. You and Cullen deserve a special day with all your friends. And they want to celebrate with you! Cole, Varric, Iron Bull, I’m positive they all want to be there for you.”

Dorian and Cullen looked at each other and held a silent conversation, Cullen still looking sheepish at his lack of initiative being out in the open. The three women waited, each with a few more cards to play up their sleeves. 

Dorian gave a long suffering sigh. “Fine. But the ceremony will still be small—and Josephine doesn’t get to decide what ‘small’ entails.” The mage glared at the ambassador and her two accomplices. “Kaffas! And for the love of everything sacred, there will be no bride and I get to include some Tevinter rituals in the ceremony.”

“Wonderful!” Josephine said and clasped her hands in front of her, eyes staring at Dorian wistfully. “Oh, you two will make such lovely grooms.” The ceremony hadn’t even started and the ambassador had tears in her eyes. 

“Out.” Cullen pointed to the door with his command, finally adopting the take no prisoners attitude Dorian had been waiting for, albeit too late. A bunch of help he was. “All of you meddling women out. We can discuss the wedding tomorrow, but I’ve got reports to go over and a new headache to get rid of.”

Josephine gathered all of her flowers, leaving with the promise of getting a good florist in the week. Leliana didn’t say anything, but with the smirk on her face, she didn’t need to. Evelyn left with a quiet ‘thank you’ to both Cullen and Dorian. The latter only responded with a glare, knowing full well what emotional manipulation looked like and well played, Evelyn. Really. But Dorian would prefer if it wasn’t played against him. 

“How much trouble would I get in if I murdered all three advisors and the chosen of Andraste?” 

“Three? And what have I done to gain your ire, my dear Lord Pavus?” Cullen asked as he stepped to Dorian, wrapping his arms around the surprisingly fit mage. 

“Two years worth of pining? Could you imagine if we were together when we were forced to visit the Winter Palace? Imagine the looks the Orlesians would have given us! The evil Tevinter mage bedding the Commander of an army that rivals all of Thedas.” Dorian gave a mock sigh, threading his fingers in Cullen’s blond curls. “You deprived my opportunity to be part of the greatest scandal in Inquisition history. I’m not quite sure if I can forgive you for that, amatus.” 

“And what can I do,” Cullen began with a kiss to Dorian’s neck to punctuate every word. “To make up for it?”

“Help me convince Josephine to forgo the bouquets?”

“Done.” The kisses that Cullen was peppering Dorian with moved to the Tevinter’s exposed shoulder. “What Tevinter rituals do you want at the ceremony?”

“Oh, blood magic. Ritual sacrifices. I thought I would keep it simple.”

Cullen huffed against the copper skin. “Is that all?” A hum in Dorian’s throat was the only answer he was willing to give Cullen. “I am sorry that it’s not as small as you wanted,” Cullen said. “I suppose it was too much to ask for.” 

“It’s a good enough reason to ask for some decent wine and be taken seriously. Though I am not sure how these things go down in the south. I suppose you get married in barns?”

“No, the chapel. Though I must insist on a mabari as the ringbearer.”

Dorian pulled back from Cullen, looking for any sort of lie on his face. “I will set your cloak aflame, amatus."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a day late because I decided to get a sinus infection the latter half of the week, but I'm going to try to get chapters out every Sunday.

Varric had an eye for a good romance. It was probably his greatest trait as a storyteller, he thought. Hell, it was how he got Hawke and Broody together and that was a feat even Andraste herself couldn’t pull off. So when he saw the three most powerful ladies in the Inquisition giggling over flowers, he knew something was up. 

“And what have we here? Are you lovely ladies getting some favors from bold men?” 

“Oh! Varric!” Evelyn called and turned to the dwarf, grinning. “No, we’re trying to decide what flowers to use for Cullen and Dorian’s wedding.”

“So Curly finally got the courage to ask Sparkler, huh? Gotta say, I was thinking nothing was gonna make honest men out of those two.” Well, he was hoping. His pocket was already feeling twenty gold pieces lighter. “When’s the big date, then?”

“We’re trying to make it the second to last day of summer; when Cullen and Dorian first became a couple all those years ago,” Josephine said. “But the planing for such an event! I must get invitations out this week if we expect the guests to arrive in Skyhold. I don’t know if such a thing is possible.”

“Hey, Ruffles, you just start on the list. I know where to get some help,” Varric said with a wicked grin as he turned from the hall and giggling women. “And by the way, make an honest woman out of the Herald at some point, would you Josie? I just lost twenty gold pieces, but I’ll gain those back with a bit of bravery from you.”

Varric ignored the huffing and laughter that followed him out of the hall and made his way to the tavern where most of the inner circle was always gathered. He called for Cassandra before crossing the threshold, saying that he needed her bleeding romantic heart for some very important things. 

She followed with some very loud complaints. 

“My friends, we’ve got a wedding to plan!” Varric shouted to the tavern, arousing the attention of everyone in the building, even people he really didn’t have much use for. 

“Who’s getting hitched?” Krem shouted back. “The courtly ones or the oblivious ones?”

“The mabari and the peacock,” Varric grumbled as he pulled the gold pieces from his pocket, tossing them in the Vint’s direction. “But I still have faith our courtly ones will get it all together. You’d think romance would be marginally less terrifying than an ancient demon Magister bastard, but there it is.”

“And we’re to plan a wedding without the grooms?” Cassandra asked in her normally scornful tone. “Shouldn’t they be making the decisions?” 

“Can’t imagine the Vint wants anything to do with a wedding,” the Iron Bull said. “He agreed to it?”

“He doesn’t, but he does,” Cole said, randomly appearing behind Varric. “Too open, too honest, too many eyes. But Cullen’s eyes light up and he _wants._ ”

“See? Curly wants a wedding, and Sparkler wants what Curly wants. But Josie can’t do it all on her own, so we’re going to help out.” Varric clapped his hands, looking at the retinue of help he has at his disposal. Cassandra, Iron Bull, Cole, Krem, and even Sera managed to make her way down to see what the commotion was about. “So who wants to do what?” 

“How do you all do weddings in the south? Is it a southern wedding or a Vint wedding?” Krem asked. 

“I’ll ask!” Cole perked up and disappeared before he was able to hear the chorus of ‘No’s!’ from everyone gathered. Varric sighed deeply but took up a seat at Bull’s table, followed by Cassandra, Sera, and Krem. 

Cole popped back up behind Krem. “The Commander is coming.”

“Thanks, kid,” Varric said, even if he really didn’t mean it. He was hoping to do this in secret, but with everyone around, he knew that was too much to ask for. 

Cullen came down the stairs of the tavern and took one look at the table before simply saying “No.”

“Comman-”

“Absolutely not! Dorian doesn’t even want the help of the three women, let alone all of the inner circle!”

“Come on Commander,” Varric said. “Everyone in a three mile radius can see Sparkler will do anything to please you, even if that is having a proper southern wedding. And it’s clear that’s what you want, right?”

“We agreed on a private ceremony.”

“Was that a we as in we discussed this, or a we as in Dorian said he’d prefer a private ceremony so you agreed to it because otherwise you were going to scare him away?” Iron Bull asked. 

“Uh. . .” Cullen didn’t reply to the question, but he didn’t need to. The hand on the back of his neck was all the confirmation the group needed. 

“Look, fancy-britches, the amount of kissy faces you two make at each other is gross, yeah? Magey boy just don’t realize he’s getting caught doing it.” Sera was twirling an arrow as she spoke, thrusting it threateningly in Cullen’s direction every time she wanted to emphasis a point. “All we gotta do is let Magey boy know we don’t mind all the romancey shit you guys do.” 

“We don’t-”

“You do,” Cassandra interrupted. 

“But Dorian was a lock for Archon before he fled. Isn’t going to be easy to get him to do the whole affection thing,” Krem pointed out. 

“So he was bred to be the Vintiest Vint who ever Vinted?” Iron Bull asked. 

“Yup. And Tevinter doesn’t really do affection. At least, not those in government.”

“I know, it’s why we agreed to a private ceremony,” Cullen said. “Until everyone else started to meddle, that is.”

“But Dorian _wants_ to give you a wedding,” Cole insisted. “‘His eyes lit up when I said yes. Kaffas. If he wanted a wedding why didn’t he say. . . .But I’ll be long buried before a slobbering hound is ringbearer.’”

“Wait, are dogs really ringbearers in the south?”

“Maker’s breath, it was a joke! No, but Dorian wants some Tevinter rituals in the ceremony and he was deflecting. . . .”

“Okay, but we have to help Josie,” Varric said, pulling everyone back to the reason they were all gathered. “Second to last day of summer is the date we’re aiming for, and we need a lot to happen in between then. Krem, you take up the Tevinter rituals. Cassandra, you, Bull, and I can go gather a lot of the resources we need. Hell, we could probably get Evelyn to come along with us. Get her out of Skyhold and away from Ruffles. Sera, can you get your people to nick some of the more expensive things and get them to us? Some of those weird wines and stuff that I’m sure Dorian wants. Cole, you. . .uh, you just do what you do, Cole. Keep everyone happy. 

“And Cullen!” Varric said, turning to give Cullen a wide and completely innocent smile. “You get to prep Sparkler for the ceremony!”

Somehow, everyone felt like Cullen drew the short piece of straw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly have no idea where I'm going with this story at all, but it's a fun little thing to write. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! I promise there is a lot more fluff to come, along with some alone time between Cullen and Dorian.


	3. Chapter Three

Cullen made a strategic retreat to his bedroom and lost himself in his paperwork. The desk that was previously covered with flowers once again became obscured as he sorted out the myriad of urgent and useless requests. If one more recruit asked about Casual Friday, he was prepared to sic Dorian on the unknowing recruits and allow him to show off, as the Altus so loved to do. 

Dorian was not in the bedroom, which Cullen expected. Even with their upcoming wedding, Dorian would leave the Commander in a heartbeat for a decent book, fireplace, and a library free of ravens. 

Four hours into the paperwork had Cullen was mentally preparing his letter of resignation to the Inquisition. No one could handle these asinine requests without losing some sanity. One noble from Orlais was very insistent that a farm girl should be relocated, as she was apparently far too tempting and the noble worried he would have to marry a "peasant." Another wanted color recommendations for a mask as she was invited to King Alistair's something or another. He didn’t understand how these missives came to him, though his best assumption revolved around Leliana getting him back for something he had done. Or something he had yet to do that she knew he would do. 

"I can set the desk aflame, amatus," came Dorian's voice from the doorway where he dramatically leaned against the frame, though Dorian did everything dramatically, whether he was aware of it or not. "I rather think that's unfair to the desk, however."

"At this point, I don't care," Cullen replied back as he let his head slump against the stack of papers that only seemed to breed when he wasn't watching. "Set all of Skyhold ablaze if that would keep me from the idiocy of nobility."

"You do realize I am technically nobility, yes?" Cullen heard Dorian walk over to his desk and listened to the telltale rustle of paperwork as Dorian pulled one of the missives from his desk. "And how can you be so morose, amatus? Listen to this one. 'Were it in the Inquisition's power, as I no doubt believe it is, the people of Orlais humbly request for the swift eradication of the Druffalo. This species has threatened our sensibilities for entirely too long and poses a critical threat to the peace of all of Thedas.' How very logical and not at all idiotic. In fairness, Druffalo does make a rather good meal. We could have a party as we drive the extinction of the most profitable creature in Thedas."

Cullen lifted his head from his makeshift pillow and took the piece of paper from Dorian's hand before turning his chair and pulling the mage onto his lap. "I trust your day was significantly less arduous than mine."

Dorian squirmed in the Commander's lap until he was sufficiently comfortable in the chair too small to hold both men. "Of a sort. I decided that if we were going to have a Ferelden wedding, I may as well know what it all entails."

Cullen ran his hands over Dorian's sides, wiggling his fingers underneath the garment to find skin to touch. "We really don't have to have a large wedding, Dorian. I can speak with the Inquisitor about it to settle it."

"First of all, no, you can't. Our dear Inquisitor will not hear a word you have to say. Though do try, and maybe see if you can't push off some of your paperwork on her for recompense, hm? Second, you clearly wish for a southern wedding."

"It's not about what I want."

"Yes, well, then it is about what _I_ want, and I want to give my Ferelden Dog Lord a proper southern barbarian wedding so that he may look back upon it and wonder how he got so incredibly lucky to marry such an accommodating man. That's not even to mention how absolutely devastating I'll be in a Tevinter wedding garment. They'll speak of our wedding for centuries."

Cullen began to undo the straps that held Dorian's robe together, a motion he had more than enough practice with to do it one handed. "You are not upset?"

"I'm upset that you made me believe you were content with a private wedding, amatus. Not to mention I am upset that we were essentially stiff armed into the damn thing. But I am not upset that you are happier now, and don't deny it. You quite clearly are."

There was no denial Cullen could make that would be true, so he kept his mouth shut on the topic. "And what do you think of our 'barbarian' weddings?"

"They're positively quaint!" Dorian said, excitement coating every sound. It was the sound of a scholar revealing his work, of finding out more than he intended to, and wanting to understand everything about everything. "Do you truly make crowns of flowers for one another?"

Cullen hummed in his throat, more focused on baring Dorian's skin than the actual question. "The spouses make one for one another, typically in secret. There's a whole language of flowers that goes into it."

"Are they different than Tevinter meanings?"

"Right. Tevene flower symbolism is certainly taught in the Chantry, but I seem to have forgotten it all. My apologies."

"Are you sassing me, Commander? Do try harder, that was a poor attempt." The top piece of Dorian's robe fell away and Cullen resumed his exploration of the mage's chest. "I will have to find out what your flower symbolism is, then. It revolves around an overabundance of elfroot, I imagine."

"You're not as witty as you think you are," Cullen said as he trailed his hands over Dorian's sides, leaving goosebumps in his wake. 

"Were I any wittier, amatus, the lot of Skyhold would not be able to keep up with me." But Dorian wove his fingers through Cullen's curls. Intimacy at Cullen's desk was a rare but treasured experience. "I saw some of the inner circle speaking with our dear Ambassador of our wedding."

Cullen groaned. He had been hoping that Dorian would not find out anything about the inner circle's decision to thrust themselves into the planning. However, someone certainly went to him with news or he overheard it in the library. 

That, or Leliana had told him. He and the Spymaster had formed a unlikely friendship after Cullen and Dorian got together. Leliana had gifted Dorian a bottle of Tevinter vintage wine to celebrate, much to Dorian's love and embarrassment. So the Altus responded in kind by presenting the Spymaster with a nug with a bow atop its head. 

"Yes, they are all too willing to meddle where they know they should not. Cole came to me and pulled me into their little council."

"You were scheming with them!"

"Not scheming. They wanted to see what they were able to do to help the Ambassador with the wedding."

Dorian sagged against Cullen with a sigh. "And now everyone wants a hand in the wedding. This is exactly why I wanted a private ceremony! Everyone's bored now that the big bad undead Magister is gone, so of course they find something to focus on and gnaw at it like a mabari with a bone. And no, amatus," Dorian said as he saw Cullen's lips part to speak. "That does not mean I do not want this wedding, so do close those lovely lips of yours. Weddings are just nasty business in general. All those emotions and what have you. It's exhibitionism in its most syru-."

"Exhibitionism?"

"Yes, yes," Dorian waved his words away. "As if people want to show off their affection to another lik-."

"I want to show them, Dorian." Cullen felt the Tevinter still beneath his hands, so he went onwards. Speechlessness from his fiance was not something to be wasted. 

Cullen lifted Dorian onto his desk, lifting the slighter taller mage with ease. The meticulously piled paperwork fell to the floor to be organized again on the morrow, but that was a problem for then. "I want them to see me holding your hands at the altar. I want them to hear the vows that I will give you. The vows that I will love and adore you through whatever the Maker throws at us. Through whatever nonsense we create." 

Dorian gave a strangled and nearly inaudible whimper at Cullen's words. Cullen's hands were gentle as he caressed his fiance, his gaze never leaving the widened gray eyes of Dorian's. "I want them to see me seal my vows with a kiss. To watch us bind our lives together until the day we die. I want all of them, all of our friends and family and allies, to understand how ardently I love this intelligent, wonderful, insufferable, and perfect man; Dorian, scion of house Pavus, most recently of Minrathous." 

Dorian was trembling slightly underneath Cullen's hands, and the Commander felt his lover's heartbeat racing as he traced his fingertips across skin. 

"I- Uh-," Dorian began and stopped, his breath hitching as Cullen stepped closer into his space, opting to nip at Dorian's throat. The action was for Dorian's benefit, the mage's eyes were too wide and open, showing off a myriad of emotions that Cullen knew Dorian would rather be kept hidden. After so many years, Cullen could read Dorian better than he could read himself and knew the look of abject fear when he saw it. 

"As- As I said, amatus," Dorian said weakly, trying for his typical snark and nonchalance and failing miserably as his voice came out like a squeak. "Exhi- Exhibitionism."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this is a week late. I had a viral sinus infection that morphed into a bacterial infection and it put me on my ass. I promise that I will make this up by posting a separate Cullrian oneshot next week along with the update. 
> 
> The flower crowns piece is for a kinkmeme that I was delighted with, though I can't find it anymore to source back to it. I just love the image of Cullen placing a flower crown on Dorian as he's blushing. 
> 
> Again, this is not beta-ed. So if there are any faults with it, please point them out!


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for missing my deadline. Again. I really don't know why I picked Sunday for my update day, since that's when all my homework is due. So from this point on, I'm going to flip it. Updates will be every Friday for this fic. 
> 
> Also, this has not been edited as much as I would like, but I wanted to get it out today. Sorry! And a very happy belated Easter and Passover to everyone!

"How in Andraste's name are you doing this?"

"Here. The flowers like to go together, you just have to figure out how," Cole said, expertly winding his Embrium around two pieces of entwined Elfroot. "See? Embrium for heart and Elfroot for soul. They _want_ to go together."

Dorian didn't know anything about that. What he did know was that making flower crowns was a skill he decidedly did not possess. Why these Fereldens couldn't simply wind the plants around metal. . . .

Cole, on the other hand, was a veritable master. He already had three stacked atop his head and the nug in his lap had a small bracelet sized one on its hairless scalp. Cole was attracting a rather large group of nugs that seemed to be jealous of the one on his lap. 

There were heaps of flowers and plants surrounding Cole and Dorian as they sat in the middle of the garden, using the lip of the well as a shelf to hold some of their supplies. The book on Dorian's lap was a tome, all detailing the meanings of the flowers and the historical figures that received such flowers in their crowns on their wedding day. 

Embrium for strength, unless it was combined with Crystal Grace because that symbolized pride because Crystal Grace meant confidence. Fereldens may not have discovered personal hygiene, Dorian thought, but they definitely knew everything about flowers. 

"You're making flower crowns!" Evelyn exclaimed as came upon the duo. "You look very dashing, Cole."

"Thank you!" Dorian was unsure if the spirit could blush, but he got the faint feeling that Cole most definitely was. "Dorian can't make one."

"Well, you're doing it without string," Evelyn said. "I never could get the hang of braiding the stems together either. Let me go grab some." 

The Inquisitor was off with her boundless sense of energy. She could have just as easily had one of the guards find some string, but she insisted on being the one to do the grunt work. It was a trait that Dorian couldn't decide if he found endearing or baffling. 

"String! I don't suppose you were going to mention that?"

"No." Cole placed another flower crown on a nearby nug, which seemed to preen under its newest addition. "Flowers can fit, they can fold and form something new. String gets in the way."

"Do mention it next time. I'm rather not used to failing." Dorian bent the corner of the page on the introduction of Felandaris. Devotion. "I've an image to uphold, after all."

Cole turned to look at Dorian, blinking at the mage as his Embrium laden flower crown drooped on his forehead. "But I can see you. Not flickering or flittering. And happy," Cole said with a large smile. "He makes you happy."

"Yes, well," Dorian said and focused on the book in his lap once more. He could feel the blush reach the tips of his ears and knew he did a poor job of hiding himself. "I suppose he does."

"I found string!" Evelyn cried as she raced back to the men. She had ladened her shoulders with enough string to wrap all of Skyhold in a giant flower crown. The thought of their imposing castle in the middle of jagged snowcapped mountains lined in flowers brought a smile to Dorian's face. How baffling it would be to their esteemed hosts. He would have to mention it to Josephine. 

Evelyn sat down next to Dorian, throwing the string on the ground as she picked up a bit of Elfroot. "I used to make flower crowns with my brother. He handed them out to all of the girls and I swear all of them thought they were going to marry him one day."

"If he looks anything like you, I can imagine why," Dorian said. Evelyn shoved him gently with a laugh before handing him a piece of string. 

"My brother is a flake and a coward. Last I heard, he was somewhere in Antiva trying to get with a pirate Queen. You've got a much better catch in Cullen, darling."

"I'll never know. Besides, I wouldn't want to compete with a pirate Queen. I want to be as far inland as possible."

"There goes the sight-seeing date I was planning with you at the Storm Coast."

Dorian flicked a leaf of Elfroot at Evelyn, which she snatched out of the air because Evelyn did nothing if it wasn't impressive. 

Evelyn showed Dorian how to wrap the string around the stems, knotting the stems and hiding the strands amongst the greenery. Cole had an accumulated an army of flower crowned nugs, continually putting the crowns on the animals's heads as they inevitably shook them off. 

Dorian wove his first flower crown, which looked much droopier than Cole's. Embrium for a strength, Deathroot for perseverance, and Royal Elfroot for a noble heart. 

"For you, my lady." Dorian placed the crown on Evelyn's brow, returning her smile. 

"And for you, my lord." The crown that Evelyn placed on his head was made of Crystal Grace, Royal Elfroot, and Amrita Vein. Dorian had to flip through his book for Amrita Vein. 

Cleverness. Intelligence. 

"Were you the right gender, I fear Cullen may have competition."

"I was about to say the same to you, but with Josie obviously." 

By Dorian's second flower crown, he was getting better at making the crown stiff so it didn't hang like a chain on Evelyn's forehead. The nugs were rolling in the carefully collected plants no matter how hard Cole attempted to wrangle them into order. 

There were so many flowers and meanings to choose from. Dorian couldn't decide on any of them. How does he describe someone like Cullen in a simple chain of flowers? The ex-Templar who beat lyrium addiction and came out from such terrible events kind, strong, and determined?

Why did none of these flowers measure up to the man? 

"Hey kid. Sparkler. Your Inquisitorialness. Whatcha got there?" Varric took a seat on the ground, the four of them forming a circle around the mess of greenery. Cole bestowed Varric with one of his flower chains as soon as the dwarf touched dirt. 

"We're helping Dorian," Cole said proudly. He had managed to wrangle three nugs into the arms that seemed rather content to stay there. "Would you like to help?"

"Sure. Hawke used to throw flower crowns at everyone. Shoulda seen the look on Broody's face. . . .Pretty sure she would have thrown on at the Arishok if she thought it would help. Hell, maybe she did. Never could tell what that woman was thinking."

"We should invite her back to Skyhold. I never did get enough dirt on you, Varric." 

"You wound me, Inquisitor!"

It was fifteen more minutes before Bull joined the group. Evelyn made short work of his horns, entwining them with enough Embrium that barely any of the horn showed through. Blackwall was next, and he made a simple band of Felandris. 

By the time Cullen stepped into the garden, all of the inner circle was on the ground creating flower crowns, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and anything else they could think of. Josephine and Evelyn were trying to one up the other in their complimentary flower crowns until they were both red in the face. Leliana and Cole had schooled the nugs into order, and Leliana was a practical puddle as one of the nugs pushed a Royal Elfroot chain her way. Sera and Varric were making insulting flower crowns while Cassandra scolded them, her own Deathroot crown on her head. Dorian and Vivienne forewent the meanings and simply made aesthetically pleasing chains. 

"Having fun?" Cullen asked as he sat behind Dorian and wound his arms around his fiance's waist. Dorian tensed for a split second and forced himself to relax. This was not Tevinter, and all of the people around him were friends. 

"I had no idea this was such a widespread thing in Ferelden. Did you make crowns when you were younger?"

"I did. My sister Mia would tell me the only combination of flowers I should wear was Deathroot and Witherstalk." Cullen smiled at Dorian's questioning look and squeezed his waist a bit tighter. "The combination means 'Insufferable.'"

Dorian laughed. "She sounds like a marvelously astute woman. I will meet her, yes?"

"At the wedding, I assume. She'd kill me if I told her I got married without inviting her."

"Hm, yes, in one of your incredibly wordy replies, no doubt. 'Not dead. No longer single. Ta!'"

Dorian smiled as Cullen placed his head on his shoulder, watching the most powerful members of the Inquisition fight over the remaining flowers. Dorian snaked a hand out to grab a piece of Felandris and tucked it behind one of Cullen's ears. "I do rather like this past time. Much more fun than screaming at the crows to be quiet."

"I suppose it is." Cullen opened his hand revealing a Dawn Lotus flower. He must have carried it in with him since that was not one of the flowers that was available to Dorian when he started this project. With a soft smile, Cullen mimicked Dorian's early move and tucked the flower behind Dorian's ear. 

Dorian didn't have to look in his book to find out the meaning of this flower. He had the page bookmarked for later use. 

Adoration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! Comments and kudos keep my work alive and my spirits high so I can write more fluff!
> 
> As always, I can be found on [ tumblr](http://www.the-lady-magician.tumblr.com) where I take prompts and reblog all the Dragon Age things.


End file.
